As much as I wanted to, it’s impossible to keep your eyes on your toddler 24/7. It is not even possible to take a shower peacefully or make a delicious dinner, for that matter, it is not possible to do any other daily chores when your toddler is crawling every corner of your house. That is why many people today are finding this playpen as a better solution to keep your toddler safe and also to do their chores peacefully.

I used this playpen at work for a year. Purchased when my daughter was almost a year old. I had to take it in and out of my car everyday at work and I was worried that it wouldn't hold up due to it being hollow plastic. I was pleasantly surprised! It held up so well that I will be able to use it again for the next baby. My daughter is now two and knows how to stack things so she can climb out and she's tall. However she has never been able to figure out how to unlock the gate. All the toys on the toy panel still work and have held up despite my daughter being rough with them. None of the connector pegs have come off during transport. I really worried they would pop off since they weren't solid and were jostled in my car all the time!

We were dissappointed with this product. We dissagree with previous review about the easy setup. The set we received had bad fit. Some of the hinge holes are smaller than the hinge, and some of the hinge holes were too big so there was a problem with the fit. The panels with the hinge holes that are too big for the hinges comes apart easily and it's unsafe for our 12 mos old to hold against the panel. Also the door hardware came apart after just a few uses. Lastly, the suction cups is a hazard. Our baby was able to remove one of the suction cup and play with it.

My son and I found this playpen to be very enjoyable. The set up was very easy and was done in several minutes. The sides slid into one another. My almost 2 year old son was not able to get the sides apart and break out. The plastic sides were good quality. They were thick enough plastic without being overly heavy. There is a door with a lock. My son was unable to get out of the door when he tried. When I opened the door to let him out, he wanted to get his sister or me and bring us into the play pen. There is a basketball hoop in the playpen that you screw on by a twist of a cap. It is on pretty sturdy although the hoop itself is bendable. This was a very enjoyable activity for my son. The sides do not have to be installed at a right angle. They hold in place a couple of different angle in between. There are suction cups on the bottom of the fencing to stick to laminate or hardwood floors. I had it on carpet, so I am unsure if that works. Overall this is a good product. When it got put away in order to vacuum the floor, my son cried.
Consumer Reports is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to helping consumers. We make it easy to buy the right product from a variety of retailers. Clicking a retailer link will take you to that retailer’s website to shop. When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission – 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our mission. Learn more. Our service is unbiased: retailers can’t influence placement. All prices are subject to change.

The Lotus Travel Crib and Portable Baby Playard is a highly portable and lightweight playpen at just 11 pounds. This playpen is so easy to set up—it takes just 15 seconds! Breakdown is somewhat more difficult, but see the video below for instructions. The Lotus folds up into a backpack, which you can transport easily on all your family adventures. The sides of the playpen are made from soft, see-through mesh so you can watch baby play; the side even has a fun door that zips and unzips so baby can crawl in and out while supervised. More than just a playpen, the Lotus comes with a soft mattress, making it a safe and comfy place for baby to nap. Some consumers do not like that the mattress rests directly on the ground. Additionally, you will need to buy the Guava Family quilted sheets, because the mattress is not a standard size. This playpen is more expensive than average, at $198.

Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Playard - This is the benchmark for comparison. When I had my first child, he was only in our house so this served as his napper and playard in the family room when we didn't want to trek to the bedroom. My first loved it. Napped easily in the bassinet, changed his diapers in the bassinet, easy to clean, set up, take apart, and the mobile was awesome - ran on batteries and had good songs. This was THE ultimate playard. In fact, we brought this back out ... full review
This play yard is loaded with features easily making it one of the best playpens for your baby. The play yard features a baby changing table and removable rocking seat with built-in vibrators that can be controlled manually. You can detach the rocking seat from the playpen and place your baby on it somewhere else as well. Switch-on the vibrator to provide soothing vibrations and melodies that will surely drive your little one to a sweet slumber. In this model, the playpen component can also be expanded to accommodate your baby for an extended duration.

“For anyone out there who has ever put together a pack and play with all their bazillion pieces: Putting together a portable crib should be easy. Nuna is! Push down on the middle to set it up and pull up to put it away. Oh, and the part where you fold it and need to fit it back in the bag? Still easy! It’s not like fitting a square peg in a round hole.” -Jenna O.

The Graco Pack N’ Play Playard Totbloc with Carry Bag is another large-size playpen that provides ample room for baby to roam around and explore her world. It has a clean, modern design with neutral colors to match just about any decor. This playpen is certified frustration-free and sets up in under a minute. It weighs in at around 25 pounds and comes with an easy-to-use carrying bag for travel and storage convenience. At $80, this playpen is right smack in the middle of the cost spectrum, and it comes with no extras such as a bassinet or changing station. Consumers report that the bottom of the playpen tends to slope inward, which can cause toys to pool in the middle; because of this, it is not ideal for baby napping. This product is not free of PVC and phthalates.

At the higher end of the price spectrum, you'll see a lot of add-on features. For example, the Graco Silhouette Pack ‘n Play Playard with Bassinet and Changer, about $170, has a removable changing table (with an "organizer" to hold diapers, wipes, etc.) and a bassinet feature. The bassinet has a maximum weight capacity of 15 pounds and the changing table has a weight capacity of 25 pounds. This model also comes with a vibrating mattress, electronic mobile, canopy, console with music, and night light. The manufacturer says you should only use the play yard with children under 35 inches tall.
LOVE this as much as I thought I would!!! I use them to close my baby in or give her freedom while blocking her from other rooms. Have even just used 2 to block her from getting out of a room while I’m doing stuff. For me it’s common sense but as for the suction cups at the bottom, they work best when you clean them and the surface you’re going to stick it to. I haven’t even needed to use all of the panels all together yet but I know I will eventually.
This sleek, Dutch-designed playard will fit right into a modern home. It’s one-hand folding system makes for an easy setup, especially since the upper cot folds with the frame. The cushy quilted mattress turns the playard into a bassinet for your baby and then later into a dreamy napping spot for your toddler. And it comes in grown-up colors, too: red, black, gray, navy and khaki.
The reversible napper and changer is a great way to save a bit of space and even money. All you need to do is turn the napper by 360 degrees and it turns into a changer. There is a secure switch that can be only controlled by an adult, which facilitates this movement. There is also a toy bar, which is also completely detachable, to hang your baby’s toys.

This play yard is loaded with features easily making it one of the best playpens for your baby. The play yard features a baby changing table and removable rocking seat with built-in vibrators that can be controlled manually. You can detach the rocking seat from the playpen and place your baby on it somewhere else as well. Switch-on the vibrator to provide soothing vibrations and melodies that will surely drive your little one to a sweet slumber. In this model, the playpen component can also be expanded to accommodate your baby for an extended duration.